Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has formally requested its Indian counterpart to investigate the death of a Nepali student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha.
The student was found dead in her hostel room on 16 February, prompting protests and allegations of harassment.
Shyam Babu Kafle, joint spokesperson of Nepal’s NHRC, stated in a press release, “The Commission has written to the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRCI) in a letter dated 2081/11/7 requesting an early investigation into the incident of Nepali students studying at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) University in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who were found dead in the hostel of Prakriti Lamsal University, demanding an investigation into the incident of beating and mistreatment of them.”
The NHRC of Nepal has urged the Indian commission to ensure justice for the victim, hold those responsible accountable, and guarantee the safety of Nepali students at the university.
It also called on the Government of Nepal to take further diplomatic measures to ensure a safe learning environment for affected students.
Also read: No one to be spared in Nepalese student's death: Odisha govt
The death of the third-year B.Tech student led to a mass exodus of over 500 Nepali students from the campus on 17 February.
The institution initially announced an indefinite suspension for Nepali students, arranging for their departure via Cuttack railway station, 30 kilometres away. However, later that evening, KIIT University retracted its decision and recalled the students.
Odisha Police arrested an accused student, identified as Advik Srivastava, on 17 February, and he was subsequently remanded to judicial custody, according to a statement from the Police Commissionerate of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack.
In a diplomatic intervention, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi spoke with Nepal’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, on 22 February, assuring stringent action against those responsible.
“Nepali students are like our own children. They will study here with full dignity and security,” the Chief Minister stated, reaffirming the Odisha government’s commitment to restoring trust and ensuring students' safety.
Following the conversation, senior officials from the Nepal Embassy, Naveen Raj Adhikari and Sanjeev Sharma Das, met CM Majhi at Lok Seva Bhavan for further discussions.
Also read: Nepali students back at KIIT after founder’s apology
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